


Before the Conclave

by frerin



Series: Inquisition: The Life of Vaimah Glŵrin [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Childhood Friends, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Other, Tumblr Prompt, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-02
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:00:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22528246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frerin/pseuds/frerin
Summary: Prompt fills and other fics I've written and posted on tumblr @serbarris, mainly concerning my OCs Inquisitor Vaimah Glwrin and Faralen Sabrae and their relationship
Relationships: Female Hawke/Isabela, Male Hawke/Original Character(s), Male Lavellan/Original Female Character(s), Male Lavellan/Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Series: Inquisition: The Life of Vaimah Glŵrin [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1620880





	1. "Don't you dream impossible things?"

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya im Emily/serbarris on tumblr, finally decided to post my fics on here, mostly prompt fills but also some not, the fics will be split into 4 entries, pre-conclave, during inquisition, post-inquisition, and AUs.

Faralen woke with a start. She pushed herself to a sitting position in her bed, breathing heavily as the remnants of her dream lingered. She listened to see if she had woken up any of her family. She couldn’t remember her dream but she wanted to, she wanted to know what disturbed her so greatly. She also didn’t want to be alone as the unease from her dreams followed her.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw her brother shuffle in his sleep, and slightly open his eyes in a moment of consciousness. She stumbled out of bed, her short legs not quite long enough to reach the floor yet. She made her way over to Eilan, attempting to gently rock him awake while whispering his name, when she had no success after a minute or so she resorted to what any sister would do: pinching him.

With a flash of pain, Eilan opened his eyes only to see his sister gently hovering over him, visibly worried. “I had a bad dream.” Faralen admitted as soon as Eilan’s eyes opened.

“Why didn’t you stop it?” Eilan's tone was more blunt than he had meant, but he had just been woken up.

“No…” Faralen replied, “can you stop your dreams?”

“Yeah, I thought everyone could, da always says about it to me.” Eilan said matter-of-factly.

“I can’t.” She stated, pouting.

“Don’t you dream of stuff that could never happen? Like fighting a dragon or meeting a god?”

Faralen pondered for a moment, her face screwed up in concentration before coming to her realisation, “No. I don’t remember my dreams.”


	2. “You’re in love with her,”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted here https://serbarris.tumblr.com/post/186525135338/for-the-prompts-9-who-forever-u-feel-it-applies

“You’re in love with her Swish.” Varric stated plainly. He and Adela Hawke were sat with Vaimah around a campfire towards the outskirts of the Sabrae clan settlement at Sundermount. Over the past few years the twin Hawke’s merry band of misfits had become fast friends with Vaimah, and to some extent Faralen, of course growing up with Merrill did help.

“Come off it Varric, leave Vaimah alone!” Adela berated with a light slap to Varric’s arm, “He needs to spend more time pining for Rae, hoping to catch her looking at him, that she smiles at him. Really hoping that one day she throws herself at him and declares her love for all to hear!” During the final sentence, Adela dramatically flings her arms out wide and gets increasingly loud in volume, she could see Vaimah’s skin growing increasingly red with each word and he shrank in on himself. Vaimah’s muffled voice eventually travelled from where his forehead rested on his knees, “You’re both dicks and I hate you.”

“Oh, come here big guy, you know you love us! We’re just teasing you aren’t we Varric?” Adela’s eyes shot to Varric, widening in expectation for him to agree with her as she grappled Vaimah into a hug.

“Whatever you say, Hawke.”

Vaimah’s head eventually popped up, his face pale but still blushing, “Is it that obvious?”

“Vai,” Adela placed her hands on Vaimah’s shoulders, “I say this because you’re my friend. Everyone knows and has known for years. Even your two’s mothers have been gossiping to me about it.”

“Oh Creators, I’m going to go find a cave for a spider to kill me in, there’s lots around here. It’s been nice knowing you.”


	3. Total Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://serbarris.tumblr.com/post/186268296378/36-for-the-micro-story-prompts  
> Set just after the death of Keeper Marethari during DA2

“Marethari is dead,” Adela announced, Faralen could see Merrill behind her, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

Questions raced through Faralen’s mind. Who would become the next Keeper? It had to be Merrill, surely, she was Marethari’s First, before all this mess with magic mirrors and ancient relics. Merrill was the one who was trained and has the knowledge to protect the clan.

Merrill could see Faralen’s questioning look, “I’m not staying, I can’t, not after this, I’ll stay with Hawke.”

“Then who-” Faralen questioned before being cut off by Vaimah.

“You.”

“No, I can’t.”

“Your people trust you, Rae.” Adela began, “You’ve helped them more than you know, you dealt with the spiders in the caves, armed your people to the teeth and you fight off the bandits and mercenaries that line these shores. They’d be lucky for you to be in control.” Adela explained.

“I can’t be in total control. I’m not a mage. I’m not a Keeper.”

“It’s not the Elvhen way, but it will do for now, until the next Arlathvhen.” Merrill said.

“I’ll be by your side,” Vaimah stated, inching closer to Faralen and placing a hand around her shoulder, “Just to make sure you don’t fuck up too badly.” He said with a smile.


	4. "Who did this to you?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://serbarris.tumblr.com/post/190789411163/30-for-envin  
> So Adela Hawke is my Champion, but Aurick is her twin brother, and Envin is the Sabrae clan's apothecary under Faralen's mother, Varliss.

“Who did this to you?” Envin asked, as their fingers grazed lightly over the laceration that ran across Aurick’s chest. They felt the sudden hitch in Aurick’s breath as they did, “Sorry, did that hurt?”

“No… it’s fine, keep going.” Aurick’s voice was laboured, his breathing heavy and shallow, and he was getting hot and sweaty. Envin hands stopped, and they crossed the room, looking on the shelves laden with vials of potions, poultices and who knows what else. The glass vials clinked together with a clamour until the noise suddenly stopped as Envin pulled out a small vial filled with an opalescent liquid, Aurick had no idea what that was for. They handed it to him, uncorking the stopper as they did so. “Drink,” Envin ordered, they needed Aurick to steady his breathing and for his temperature to go down, he’d likely be delirious for the next few hours.

Envin’s hands worked meticulously with a fine needle and thread stitching his skin together. The wound was mostly superficial, but it was better to be safe than sorry when Aurick was normally so far from Envin’s care. He said he didn’t trust any of the Shem within Kirkwall’s walls to care for him, which was probably a fair point. Any stories they had heard on the clan’s journey to the Free Marches has no shining reviews for the city, especially its cleanliness. Knowing Aurick he’d left his wound longer than he said to hide his fear of the physicians in the city, in doing so he caused his own fever and putting his life at risk. Just because he preferred them.

Envin tied the last few stitches and did their best to bandage the wound. Aurick had fallen asleep during the procedure. At least the tonic helped a little, Envin supposed. His forehead still grew beads of sweat as he slept, his hair starting to become damp as Envin left him to rest, his fever showed no signs of lessening, Envin grabbed a cloth and some fresh, cool water, and pat Aurick’s face and the back of his neck to cool him down.

“You’re an idiot sometimes,” they said softly, brushing Aurick’s hair back from his face.


	5. It’s 3 am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slight bit of character study for my twin hawkes, mostly just venting anger

Isabela padded quietly down the stairs, as the shouts of Adela rang out against the slow slurs from her twin brother.

“That’s such bullshit Aurick, and you know it!” Adela’s words were punctuated with a slap to her brother's face. “All you do is hide behind your sarcasm and prostitutes. You’re a fucking disaster.”  
  
“I thought you’d have my back.”

Adela scoffed, her rage consuming any sympathy she might have had, “You were the one in the fucking wrong! You need to learn how to finish what you start. Every other week you find you way to Envin’s tent like a wounded puppy so they can heal whatever injury you’ve got from your latest floozy or their husband! Take your head out of your arse for a second and think about somebody else for a change!”

“Addy,” Isabela gently held Adela’s shoulder, stopping her from going at her twin once more, “it’s three in the morning, leave him alone, he’s going to be punished enough by his hangover.”

She reluctantly turned to face her lover, deflating as she did so, “He’s unbelievable Bela, it’s the same shit different day,”

“I know love, but let’s get you both to bed, nothings going to be fixed when you’re both in a state.” Isabela gently guided Adela towards the staircase, reaching out with her other hand towards Aurick, beckoning for him to follow before he passed out on the sofa.

Isabela knew the twins would be the death of each other before any of the shit the Maker and Kirkwall could throw at them.


	6. “Hold my hand, you’re going to be fine.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Originally posted here  
> https://serbarris.tumblr.com/post/186817507008/14-from-the-hurtcomfort-prompts-hold-my-hand

Vaimah fell to the ground with a thud.

Disorientated, he lay there, feeling the pain that echoed across his body, he could stand, he should stand, he’s been in worse shape before, taken harder hits and got back up and into the fray. However he kind of enjoyed the solidarity of being on the floor, the fight wasn’t hard; it was just a couple of Shem bandits; they hadn’t even bothered to check he was actually dead.

It was weird- the fight that is- he couldn’t remember the last time Faralen wasn’t fighting by his side, leading the battle, no matter how small a fray. But she was the “Keeper” now, a loose term for the non-mage, she had to stay behind and protect the majority, not the capable fighters.

Then suddenly, Vaimah felt a presence by his side, a patter of hands checking him over, trying to roll him side to side slightly, pain flaring under their touch. A groan escaped his lips. “Thank Andruil you’re okay.” Faralen. That was Faralen’s voice. Was it? It couldn’t be, she was back with the clan, there wasn’t any need for her to be here. Why was she here? “I saw you fall and not get back up you idiot.” Why did Faralen reply to him? Did he say that aloud? “Barely.” She snorted, “Come on, it’s over. Let’s get you out of here, you’re just a bit bruised and dazed.” She grabbed his hands and heaved him up into a sitting position.

As Vaimah pushed himself up onto his feet, he heard a gasp of pain and a thud as a body fell to the ground.

Faralen.

He turned around, saw her body on the floor, an arrow jutting from her side. Creators it was close to her ribs. “Faralen, don’t move, I’m going to pick you up and take you to your mother.” And so he did, his limbs screaming out in pain, but Faralen had actually screamed in pain. A stray bandit must have thought she was an easy picking before they left. As he made their escape, “Rae, hold my hand, squeeze it when you’re in pain, you’re going to be fine, I’m fine, we’ll be back soon and you’ll be fine.”


	7. Ghilan’evan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Sabrae Clan were back on Ferelden soil the clan’s unusual circumstances were confronted by the Hahren’al at the Arlathvhen that has convened because of the mage war.

Keepers and Hahrens from the far reaches of Thedas were gathered here, in this ancient temple to belittle Faralen’s leadership of the Sabrae clan. It had been not quite a year since she assumed leadership. Since Keeper Marethari’s death, the clan had taken to Faralen as their __Ghilan’evan,__ their guide.They had decided it democratically once they had reached the green shores by Amaranthine, not wanting to confront their fate sooner than they had left the Free Marches for good. For hours the Hahrens and Keepers questioned all members of the Sabrae Clan and then interrogated Faralen herself. Her position as a non-mage was divisive, to say the least. After her interrogation, the Hahren’al convened to debate the situation. Right in front of her.

Faralen’s mind raced as the cacophony continued, every comment she could vaguely hear repeating over as her past actions replayed in her mind. Every friendship she had was being scrutinised. She overheard the Hahrens speak of her involvement in the Blight and her brother. That was the hay that broke the Halla’s back for Faralen. It had been hours of tedium before she stood up in defiance of the Hahren'al.

“This emergency council is unnecessary, I have already been in this role for some time now; the Clan is prospering. I know I’m not a Keeper, but I will protect this clan with my life. I will do everything in my power to protect my people as I already have as Master Hunter. I have defended this clan from bandits, mercenaries, spiders and all manner of the living dead, as well as some of our own. Some already joined the Grey Wardens of Amaranthine in fear of getting another mage in this clan, in fear that we shall suffer.”

“We must protect the old ways Faralen.”

“The old ways… the old ways don’t work. Merrill and Marethari tried to protect the old ways and magicks in this world and look where it got them. Marethari is dead and Merrill ran off with a group of Shem because she couldn’t face her clan after everything that happened. The ways of this world are changing, the Blight is nothing compared to the War that is coming to our land. We saw the start firsthand in Kirkwall. The council talks nonsense when they know not of what truly happened there.  
My people chose my leadership, they have stood by my decisions despite me lacking Marethari’s knowledge. Introducing a new mage, would not benefit my Clan. Marethari’s knowledge left us when Merrill did and there can be no true replacement of that. It’s my prerogative to protect the lives of this clan from all the dangers that the Dread Wolf can throw at us just like any Keeper.”

Faralen’s monologue was greeted with stunned silence. For many of the Sabrae Clan members in attendance, they were shocked at the passion in which Faralen spoke, and at how her usually cool exterior had broken. The Haren’al were astonished that this young upstart so flippantly invoked the Dread Wolf’s name. After a brief deliberation, the Grand Hahren stepped forward to meet Faralen. “Very well Faralen of Clan Sabrae, we Hahrens will allow you to be the _Ghilan’evan_ that you have been dubbed. We do wish to be informed of any great travel or conflicts that occur to assess your position further. This is only temporary. _Mala suledin nadas._ ”

“ _Ma serannas_ Hahren.”


	8. Letters from Athrin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> https://serbarris.tumblr.com/post/188908871353/vaimah-dear-i-hope-this-letter-finds-you-well
> 
> Letters from Vaimah's mother, set just before the events of the Conclave

Vaimah,

Dear, I hope this letter finds you well and the Lavellan’s are treating you kindly; you know how they can be with our clan. Your father and I are fine, I feel the Halla sense my worry of you being so far away, and your father doesn’t help insisting he spends hours on end smithing weapons as if the shemlen’s conclave will cause an all-out war.

Faralen has worked herself into a tizzy she’s totally lost without you, though she’d never admit it. Being so close to a shemlen village has caused members of the clan to hear rumours and spread them amongst us and ask Faralen what will happen, and you know how she gets when put on the spot; she’s even making us move closer to the Emerald Graves, farther from the Shem and hopefully shelter us from the panic and anxiety the conclave is causing. I know Faralen has found no reason to send any of our mages to the conclave, since none act as Keeper, I honestly doubt many Dalish will travel there either.

Sorry to fret so much in this letter I hoped to bring you better news, anyways I hope you are having a fun time with the Lavellan's and you are learning as much as you are teaching; I wish you a swift journey back to us soon.

Missing you always, Mother.


End file.
